The Marlin Model 99M1 is a variant of the Model 60 family made to slightly resemble the M1 Carbine. The short tubular magazine is supposed to hold nine rounds of .22 LR ammo. To make ready, remove the magazine follower and drop the rounds into the open tube rim down. The safety is a cross-bolt safety in the rear of the trigger guard. The first rounds out of the discontinued carbine were Winchester Super-X high speed. The rear sight is over and rear of the ejection port. The carbine is sitting on the Range Systems Sight-Bloc.

The Marlin semi-auto .22 rifle has a long history and it may tie the Ruger 10/22 as the most common autoloading rimfire rifle of all time. Originally called the Model 99, the more cheaply made and less expensive Glenfield Model 60 – made as more or less a promotional item in the "back when," quickly outstripped it in popularity. It became the Marlin Model 60, made alongside the Glenfield version, and it's still made in slightly different forms to this very day. The Short Model 60 was known by a few names – one was the 99M1 and another was the 989M2. The 989M2 used a box magazine. The subject of this piece is the 99M1, fed by a short tubular magazine. The 99M1 has a handguard over the 18-inch barrel, a barrel band holding it together like the U.S. Carbine, Caliber 30, M1. It was supposed to look like the .30 Carbine, hanging on to the popularity of motion pictures and TV shows depicting action in WWII. According to various sources, production spanned from 1964 through 1978 and about 160,000 were sold. The present sample in the shop dates from 1971 according to the serial number. The gun is pure Marlin/Glenfield Model 60 except for cosmetics, barrel and magazine length. The length of pull is too long – though I didn't measure it, it seems about fourteen inches to this user. The adjustable rear sight is mounted to the receiver scope rail on the 99M1 and the 989M2. If you search for one of these at gun shops, gun shows and auction sites, make sure the rear sight is attached – they're not commonly found anymore. The 99M1 is rated at a 9-shot capacity with a short mag tube follower. The sample seemed reluctant to take more than seven, but that problem is still being investigated. The carbine is light and handy. Except for the over-long stock, it's just about everything you'd want for plinking, camp chores and field work. The rear sight has a square notch, pistol-like and the front post is narrow in that rear sight notch. That's a favor to old eyes, as the light on either side is a blessing. It's also a curse as I try to keep the carbine steady on target. A trip to the range with Winchester Super-X 40 grain high speed LR ammo from MidwayUSA was set. I took along the Sight-Bloc from Range Systems and a screw driver set – when have you ever seen a second hand .22 rifle that was sighted to zero off the rack? The Range Systems Sight-Bloc has molded rubber construction and allows stability due to weight and form factor. It's cut in a way to give a height of 4 inches, seven inches or nine inches depending on how you have the block set. Weighing in at fourteen pounds, it's a stable rifle rest. I set a 12" x 18" target at fifty yards. It was a Birchwood Casey "Dirty Bird Shadow" silhouette target like a small version of the NRA TQ-19. I could center the carbine's sights on the target where there was some contrast to help me see the relationship of the sights to the center. The first five rounds hammered into about 2 ½" and centered in the target. The screwdriver set was never used. I made a note of the date on the calendar as something worthy of a national day of thanksgiving. The second five round group added one third to the group size due to my shooting error. The trigger was fairly clean and firm without being heavy. That small front sight wandered about in my vision. I think an optic would be of great help for me but it would ruin the utility of the rifle. I worked on a fifty yard steel target and tried to stretch my success out to the 75 yard steel and beyond. I had mixed success but the Range Systems Sight-Bloc was a big help in keeping the piece steady. The 99M1 chugged through about fifty rounds in its first outing and, I believe, that won't be its last. It was fun to shoot. If you want a gun in a similar format but new manufacture, you could look at the Marlin "Papoose" Model 70PSS. It's a take-down carbine, 16 inch barrel that uses a box magazine. It's essentially the same gun. The Model 60 and variants are still out there and they're still popular. You can see it and other Marlin branded guns at their web site. -- Rich Grassi